James Patterson: Success Story

RJK said:

Even If I thought he couldn't write a grocery list, I wouldn't criticize him for being successful.

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James Patterson hires people to write his grocery list. His laundry list, too. But he does put their names on the lists, so it's all cool.

As for Patterson's co-authors scratching along like the rest of us. I imagine they were scratching along way better than most of us, pre-Patterson.

There was a thread a few days ago, asking how many published authors made a living, full time, from writing. A few technical writers did, one or two freelancers, Uncle Jim, and one or two had, but returned to other work. The majority of published writers cannot support themselves on their writing. Patterson's crew may have been above the curve, but not in the percentile where they made a substantial living, otherwise, they probably wouldn't have taken the job.

I don't get the vitriol either. There's a lot that can be learned from this guy, and he does keep a stable of writers in suds and spuds. (I seem to remember they get a flat fee of $250,000 per book, but I could be wrong about that.)

Some other folks up-thread said they'd hook their wagons to his star just for that. Who wouldn't want to make that much cash in a year? And if they're especially adroit, they could probably squeeze out two books a year.

At any rate... Patterson's obviously shattered a lot of paradigms. Even The King hasn't gone the same route and managed the same financial success, but I suspect the difference lies in that SK is a former academic, whereas JP is a veteran of the ad biz. For sure, SK's history served him well in producing the base product itself (and even then and now, he has his critics), but JP's background serves him in a much different way, and in a fashion that might elude most scribes: he knows how to package a product.

Two approaches, both wind up generating millions. One tried and true, the other true only once the personality involved was able to get it tried.

Phaeal said:

James Patterson hires people to write his grocery list. His laundry list, too. But he does put their names on the lists, so it's all cool.

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When I regularly ride the top of the bestseller lists while stomping you all into the midlist, and while you all mock me mercilessly here and call for my blood, I shall hire someone to write my grocery list.

But they won't be able to put their name on the list. They'll have to use a code name, like "mushrooms" or "dog food."

Ooh, ooh, can I be "Gatorade?"

RJK said:

There was a thread a few days ago, asking how many published authors made a living, full time, from writing. A few technical writers did, one or two freelancers, Uncle Jim, and one or two had, but returned to other work. The majority of published writers cannot support themselves on their writing. Patterson's crew may have been above the curve, but not in the percentile where they made a substantial living, otherwise, they probably wouldn't have taken the job.

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Making even an insubstantial living would be scratching way better than me.

If Patterson's co-authors weren't already established as dependable writers, how'd he pick them? Could research it, don't feel like it. If someone knows the answer, it would be interesting to hear. If not, never mind.

Noah Body said:

I don't get the vitriol either. There's a lot that can be learned from this guy, and he does keep a stable of writers in suds and spuds. (I seem to remember they get a flat fee of $250,000 per book, but I could be wrong about that.)

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I don't think anything can be learned from this guy.

But we've been through all that. It comes down to work ethic for me. I don't write for money, or I wouldn't write fiction. What I do write, I'll take all the credit and all the responsibility for.

I won't ever hire someone to write my books for me.

*shrug*

Phaeal said:

Ooh, ooh, can I be "Gatorade?"

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Yes. You can be the blue flavor.

aadams73 said:

Yes. You can be the blue flavor.

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Aww, I wanted blue...

In the interest of bipartisanship, I'll let EclipsesMuse be blue, and I'll be orange.